This application claims the priority of German patent application 197 05 268.1 filed on Feb. 12, 1997, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to a motor vehicle having a front-end-side air guiding device.
An air guiding device is known from commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,673,206, the entire disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein. The front-end-side air guiding device guides a first air current through a cooler arranged on the body side, the current flowing out in the direction of the roadway through a blow-out opening arranged on the front end bottom part directly in front of the adjoining front wheel. In the driving operation, the first air current generates an air wedge in front of the front wheel, whereby a second air current guided through between the roadway and the vehicle bottom side is guided laterally around the front wheel. By the blowing-out of the first air current A having a lower kinetic energy directly in front of the front wheels, the second air current B having a larger kinetic energy is guided laterally around the front wheels, whereby the drag coefficient is reduced.
However, it is a disadvantage of this operating principle that the front axle lift is increased because the air current blown out toward the roadway causes a force component on the motor vehicle which is directed upward.
It is an object of the invention to provide an air guiding device that essentially maintains the improved flow around the front wheels while reducing or avoiding a lift-causing force component at the front wheels.
This and other objects have been achieved according to the present invention by providing an air guiding arrangement for a motor vehicle front end, comprising: an air guiding structure defining an air duct extending transversely in front of a front wheel of the motor vehicle, said air guiding structure defining a forward-facing inlet opening which communicates with said air duct, said air guiding structure defining a blow-out opening at a lower side of said air duct in front of said front wheel; and a deflection blade arranged adjacent said blow-out opening and exterior of said air duct, a surface of said deflection blade which faces said blowout opening being inclined toward a lateral side of the motor vehicle.
This and other objects have been achieved according to the present invention by providing an air guiding arrangement for a motor vehicle front end having an air guiding structure defining an air duct extending transversely in front of a front wheel of the motor vehicle, said air guiding structure defining an forward-facing inlet opening which communicates with said air duct, said air guiding structure defining a blow-out opening at a lower side of said air duct in front of said front wheel, said air guiding arrangement comprising: a deflection blade arranged adjacent said blow-out opening and exterior of said air duct, a surface of said deflection blade which faces said blow-out opening being inclined toward a lateral side of the motor vehicle.
This and other objects have been achieved according to the present invention by providing a method of manufacturing an air guiding arrangement for a motor vehicle front end having an air guiding structure defining an air duct extending transversely in front of a front wheel of the motor vehicle, said air guiding structure defining an forward-facing inlet opening which communicates with said air duct, said air guiding structure defining a blow-out opening at a lower side of said air duct in front of said front wheel, said method comprising: arranging a deflection blade adjacent said blow-out opening and exterior of said air duct, such that a surface of said deflection blade which faces said blowout opening is inclined toward a lateral side of the motor vehicle.
The principal advantages achieved by means of the invention are that, because of the arrangement of a deflection blade provided on the side of the front-end bottom part facing the roadway behind the blow-out opening, the blown-out air current is diverted toward the vehicle side, whereby the lift-causing force component is eliminated.
In addition to deflecting the air current, the occurring impulse of the first air current A results in a force component in the downward direction and thus in a reduced front axle lift.
The air-guiding function of this deflection blade, which is preferably arranged in parallel to the flow direction equalizes losses in the Cd (drag coefficient) factor which are the result of the fact that the effect of the blow-out current on the drag cannot be optimally maintained by the deflection.
In addition, by the arrangement of the deflection blades in front of the blow-out openings, the brake cooling is increased by approximately 15 to 20%. Because of the clearance above the road surface and the danger of damage, the deflection blades are preferably made of an elastic material and are connected with the bottom part of the front end by screwing, adhesive, spraying-on, or the like.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.